Bad break: Jets lose safety Leonhard for season with leg injury

The New York Jets will be without their defensive quarterback for the rest of the season.

Safety Jim Leonhard, who calls the defensive signals in the secondary, has a broken right leg that required surgery Friday night, hours after he was injured during a collision at practice.

The Jets declined to speculate on Leonhard's status until after the surgery, but NFL Network and Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported that the safety wouldn't play again this season.

"I just think we were all crushed," Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said. "He's such a tough guy, and normally he bounces back, bounces right up from stuff."

The team announced that Leonhard's tibia was scheduled to be operated on at Morristown Memorial Hospital, located a few miles from the Jets' training facility. Team spokesman Bruce Speight said the shin bone didn't break the skin, and there was no damage to Leonhard's fibula, ankle or knee.

The injury came three days before the Jets (9-2) visit the New England Patriots (9-2) on Monday night in a meeting for first place in the AFC East.

"That was a huge blow to us," said Jets coach Rex Ryan, who also coached Leonhard as the Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator in 2008. "He's a huge part of what we do."

Leonhard was injured during team drills -- which are closed to the media -- and carted from the field. He collided with wide receiver Patrick Turner as the two went up for a ball late in practice.

"I just knew we ran into each other, and he was in pain," Turner said. "He was just grabbing his shin."

Leonhard also returns punts, ranking among the NFL leaders with an 11.3-yard average. Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff said that duty now will fall to several players, including Jerricho Cotchery, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson.

"We'll put together whatever package best suits us," Westhoff said. "Jerricho is probably the steadiest, and then maybe get him involved at two-deep with one of those other guys."

Cotchery, who missed the last two games with a groin injury, has averaged 9.4 yards per punt return in his seven-year career.

Leonhard broke his right thumb in a game a year ago, but he didn't miss any time while playing with a cast. He's a personal favorite of Ryan, who brought him along from Baltimore shortly after he became the Jets' coach in January 2009.

"It is a damper, but the way this team is now, we don't want to let Jim down," Ryan said. "We are going to find a way to get it done. And that's what I'm banking on. Do I think we'll win the game? Absolutely."